Shirley M. English, 95, of Pierre, passed away Tuesday, November 17, 2020 at Avera-St. Mary’s Hospital in Pierre.  Shirley was born on November 22, 1924 to Theodore W. and Amalia (Giertz) Stolley in Elkton, SD.  She was the seventh child of eight.  She lived in Elkton, Montrose, and Hartford, SD.  In 1929 the family moved to Sioux Falls, SD.  She attended elementary school at Faith Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, SD.  She graduated and was confirmed in 1938.  Shirley attended Washington High School in Sioux Falls, graduating in 1943.  She began her employment at Northwestern Bell Telephone Company in 1943.  She continued her telephone career at Pacific Bell in San Diego and Los Angeles, California and later in Mountain Bell in Denver, Colorado.

She married Marvin Conklin in 1945.  Shirley married George A. English in 1971 at Wheatridge Lutheran Church in Wheatridge, Colorado.  After retirement they moved to Salida, Colorado.  Soon after George’s death Shirley returned to her home state of South Dakota, living in Rapid City and then Pierre where she was a member of Faith Lutheran Church.

She is survived by her daughters Cheryl Peery, Middleburg, Fla. and Char (Jim) Russell, Pierre, SD and one son Greg Dircks, Middleburg, Fla., six grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren and four great, great grandchildren.  Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, her husbands Marvin Conklin and George English, seven siblings, one grandson, two nephews and son-in-law James Peery.

A Celebration of  Life in Shirley’s honor will be held at a later date.

Memorials may be directed to Faith Lutheran Endowment fund or the charity of your choice.

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